US sets condition for Ukraine to continue financial support: Details
US sets condition for Ukraine to continue financial support (Photo: Getty Images)
The United States allocates approximately $1.5 billion per month to Ukraine's state budget, and the last tranche of the financial year is expected in September. However, the U.S. has a specific condition that they want Ukraine to fulfill, according to the article by RBC-Ukraine "Trust, but verify: Under what conditions the West ready to provide money to Ukraine?"
According to several sources from RBC-Ukraine, the United States imposed an informal condition for providing the funds - preparing a bill to strengthen the institutional independence and efficiency of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP).
Adopting such a law by the end of 2023 is one of the conditions for receiving macro-financial assistance from the European Union and IMF financing. However, the U.S. wants to see a more precise plan for its implementation."The draft law on SAP must be prepared by September 15 - this is the wish of the United States," a source in the government said.
As mentioned in the publication, the interest in the anti-corruption topic overseas is not coincidental. In allocating significant aid packages to Ukraine for humanitarian and military needs, the West wants to ensure the targeted use of these funds.
Specific changes to the SAP law
Regarding the SAP, the main issue lies in the powers of its head. Both law enforcement anti-corruption officials and Ukrainian public figures have regularly pointed out this concern. The problem is that this body was initially created as an independent unit of the Prosecutor General's Office to investigate corruption cases involving high-ranking officials. SAP lacks a separate legal status and remains administratively and procedurally dependent on the Prosecutor General's Office. Now, no personnel decisions, initiation of cases involving MPs, or extradition decisions can be made without the approval of the Prosecutor General.
A source from RBC-Ukraine in the government indicated that the draft law on the independence of SAP is planned to be prepared by mid-September, as Western partners desire.
"There should be no problems with this. If necessary, the bill will be ready," the source noted.
Whether the document will ensure the necessary independence of SAP and whether the deputies will support it is currently unknown. It's worth noting that the first bill on the independence of SAP was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada at the beginning of 2023. Still, it was criticized by the relevant committee and withdrawn from consideration.
